Smoking pipe cleaner



Feb. 26, 1952 L 1 SP|EWAK 2,586,877

SMOKING PIPECLEANER Filed Jan. 24, 1949 IN1/EN TOR. /E/va-'J 5pm-wax Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SMOKING CLEANER Ignace J. Spiewak, New York, N. *Y.

Application January 24, 1949, Serial No. 72,509 7 claims. (c1. 1x1-#245i This invention relates generally to the field of smoking pipe cleaners and particularly to a smoking pipe cleaner in which a bowl cutter and reamer are combined with a device for swabbing the bore of the stem and bit. I

Another object herein lies in provision of a structure of the class described in which the above facilities are conveniently available and when not in use are contained within a flat compact casing which is conveniently carried in the owners pockets.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a pipe cleaning casing in which the bowl cleaning and stern swabbing elements are independently projectable from the casing or housing therefor.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a pipe stern or bit cleaning element in which a swabbing action may be obtained by the use of an absorbent material such as cotton and in which provision is made for holding of a supply of absorbent cotton on the casing and for the securing of a relatively smaller tuft on the end of the bore cleaning element.

A feature of the invention lies in the provision of a novel stem or bit cleaning'element including a pair of members joined at the outer end thereof, and means to spread the membersvwith respect to each other to permit the wedging of the tuft of cotton therebetween at a point near-the-outer terminal. e

These objects and'other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims. i

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 isa rear elevational view'showing the pipe bowl reaming element in protracted position.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view as seen from the right of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 4--4 on Figure 3.`

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to Figure 4' but showing the stem bore cleaning element in an extended or active position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectionalview as seen from the planet-6 on Figure 4. I

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view as seen from the plane 'I-l on Figure-5. partly broken away to show-detail. I v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view as seen from the plane 8-8 on Fig. 4.

'In accordance with the invention the smoking pipe cleaner generally indicated by reference character I0 comprises broadly a first or front body element I2, a second or rear body element I4. a pipe bowl reaming element I6, and a stem bore cleaning element I8.

The r'st or front body element I2 is preferably planar including a front Wall 20 and a circular outer edge 22. The outer surface 24 of the front wall 20 has a depressed absorbent materialretaining pocket 26 with a plurality of loop members 28. No additional material is required, since the pocket 26 is rearwardly depressed and the loops 28 are sheared and forwardly placed (see Figure 3). The pocket 26 may be varied in size to provide the desired capacity.

Rearwardly extending from the front wall 20 are a plurality of rear body element connecting members 30. The members 30 are preferably blank, and formed as rearwardly extending tabs from the material of which the front body element I2 is composed. The members 30 are concentrically arranged upon the inner surface 25 of the front wall 20.

The upper portion of the front wall 20 is provided with a circular orice 32 (see Figure 4) and within this orifice the inner end of the stem bore cleaning element I8 is rotatably mounted.

' Rearwardly projecting from the inner surface 25 of the front'wall 20 are a plurality of stem bore cleaning element support members 34.

The second or rear body element I4 includes a rear wall 36 which is preferably nat, having an elongated slot 38. Therear wall 36 is preferably of circular shape having a free edge 40 and secured to the inner surface 42 thereof is an intermediate wall 44. The intermediate wall 44 is of generally cylindrical shape and it may be fixedly secured to the rear body element in any suitable manner as for example by soldering or welding 45. The intermediate wall 44 has an inwardly extending annular'iiange 46 and it is to this flange that the rear body element connecting members 30 are slidably engaged. (See Figures 5 and 6.) Thus the first body element and second body element, I2 and I4, are rotatably mounted with respect to each other and are easily manipulated by the user grasping the edges 22 and 40. Rotation of either of saidbody elements with respect to the other through substantia1ly360" is limited by the lug 48 on the first body element engaging the detent 50 on the intermediate wall 44. The lug 48 is relatively short. and extends inwardly of the first body member only far enough to engage the detent 50 which is as Wide as the width of the intermediate wall 44. The intermediate wall 44 at one portion thereof is provided with a mouth 52 which at one lateral edge portion thereof is elevated. The lug 48 passes through the space to the leftof the mouth 52 as viewed in Figure 3. In Figures 4 and 5 the lug 48 passes rearwardly of the mouth 52. It is through this mouth 52 that the bore cleaning element I3 travels.

The pipe bowl reaming element I6 is of 'irregular configuration best seen in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings and includesa handle portion 54, a pair of guide legs '56.and 58, the outer ends of which are provided with a knife edge scraping portion 60 and a burring or oiling portion 62. The bowl reaming element I6 is preferably fabricated by bending and stamping a piece of wire stock. The reaming element I6 is projected for use by movement thereof downwardly from the dot-dash portion as viewed in Figure 2 whereupon it passes downwardly and outwardly through suitable orifices 64 in the intermediate wall 44. In its .retracted position the element I6 is substantially concealed within the .confines of the intermediate wall.

The stem bore cleaning element I8 includes a pair of thin, elongated narrow strip members 66 .and 61 preferably of resilient steel or similar material. The members 66 .and 61 are connected at their .forward or outer ends 68 and 69 in the area 10 which forms the tip of the element I8. Rearwardly or inwardly of the tip 10 the members 6.6 and 61 are provided with notches 1I and 12,

respectively, which serve to prevent accidental displacement of a tuft 13 .of the absorbent material 14.

The inner portion of the bore cleaning element I8 is mounted upon the carrier member 15. Carrier 15 includes a pair of discs 16 and |16 .and a button 11. The disc 16 has a circumferential flange 18 which engages the edge -of the orifice 32. The discs .16 and |16 have elongated slots. 19

and I 19 within which the shank 86 of the button.

11 is slidably mounted. In the formation of the slot I19 two tabs 8| and 82 are formed which may be bent inwardly of the device to hold said discs 16 and |16 together and one of them may serve as a resilient frictional retainer for the strip member 66 when it is in altered positions thereof as shown in the full and dot-dash lines on Figure '5. The inner ends 83 and 84 of the strip members 66 and 61 are secured to the shank 80 and the disc 1.6 respectively, in any ysuitable manner, as for example by soldering indicatedv by reference character 41. The length of the members 66 and 61 is approximately the same as the circumference of the intermediate wall.

With the parts in the position shown in Figure 4, the strip members 66 and 61 are concealed inside of the intermediate wall and .resiliently urged against the inner surface of said vintermediate wall V44 owing to the resiliency Aof the'v strip members which are Ishown in a .relatively relaxed position in Figure 5. The tip 10 is preferably located at the mouth 52. of .the first body element I2 in a clockwise direction as viewed in said figure while the intermediate wall 44 and the second body element .I4 (absent from said figure) are held stationary, the strip .members 66 and 61 will be projected through the mouth to take the position shown in Figure 5.. The rotatable mounting of the discs 16 and |16, as a unit permits the. change in direction of the inner ends 83 and .84 .necessary vfor the easy Upon rotationv movement of the members 66 and 61 out of the mouth 52. This change of position may be noticed by comparison of Figures 4 and 5.

With the parts positioned as shown in Figure 5, movement of the button 11 in the direction of the arrow (and the shank 80) will cause the member 66 to bow into the dot-dash line position so that the tuft 13 may be easily inserted. Next the button 11 and hence the shank 80 are moved in a direction opposite to the .arrow '85 which closes the parts to the original vposition and the members 66 and 61 with the tuft 13 as a unit may be used to clean out the stem of a pipe .(not shown), it being understood that the total cross sectional sides of the combined members Y66 and 61 is not in excess of the pipe stem size.

The tuft 13 is prevented from being accidentally disengaged while the tip 10 is in the bowl of the smoking pipe by notches 1I and 12.

After the pipe stern bore cleaning oper-ation, manipulation of the button 11 assists in removal of the tuft and by a .movement of the first and second body elements I2 and I4 in a direction opposite to that described above the members 66 and 61 will vbe again withdrawn into the device I0 through the mouth 52, the supporting members 34 assisting in keeping the members 66 and 61 in proper position.

It may thus be seen that I have Vdisclosed a novel and useful pipecleaner which is sufficiently compact to carry in the users pocket and it is capable of projecting bowl and bore cleaning elements in a convenient manner. Provision is made for absorbent material supply for forming the tufts which are used on the stem cleaning element.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

`1. A smoking pipe cleaner comprising: a housing and a stem bore cleaning element including a pair of flexible strip members interconnected at one end of each; the other ends of said strip members being pivotally interconnected a-t a .fixed point on said housing; said trip,

members being disposable in a coiled condition within said housing.

2. In a pipe cleaning device having a housing, the improvement comprising a stem bore cleaning element including a pair of flexible strip members interconnected at one end of each; the other ends of each of said strip members being pvotally connected at spaced points within said housing, the distance between said points being` variable; said housing including means to wind said flexible strip members therewithin; said pivotal connection providing means for accommodating for the unequal expansion and correction involved.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the points of pivotal interconnection between said flexible strip members and said housing are eccentrically disposed with .respect to said housing.

4. A smoking pipe cleaner comprising: a housing and a stem bore cleaning element including a pair `of flexible strip members interconnected at one end of each; the other ends of said flexible strip members being -pivotally interconnected with said housing; and means disposed at the point of said pivotal interconnection serving to displace the terminal of one of said strip mem- 5 resulting in the bowing of one of said flexible strip members with respect tothe other.

5. A smoking pipe cleaner including a housing' comprising: a rst body element and a second body element and a ilexible elongated stem bore cleaning element mounted in said housing; said rst and second body elements being rotatable with respect to each other, said cleaning element being alternately disposed Within and projectible Without the cavity formed by said body elements; said first body element having a plurality of connecting members peripherally arranged and en- .gageable with said second body element; said rst body element also having a plurality of stem bore celaning element support members arranged in a circular manner near the periphery of said body element, said members serving to assist in the coiling of the cleaning element, upon Winding the same Within the body element.

6. Smoking pipe cleaner comprising: a first body element; a second body element; rst means to mount said body elements for relative movement with respect to each other; an elongated llexible pipe stem bore cleaning element connected to said first body element; said second body element having a mouth; and a plurality of stern bore cleaning element supports projecting inwardly from said first body element about which the stem bore cleaning element may be Wound when the latter is in a retracted position.

7. A structure as claimed in claim 6 in which the supports for the wound up cleaning element are integral tabs punched from the first body element.

IGNACE J. SPIEWAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number i Name Date 375,420 Harper Dec. 27, 1887 610,142 Le Bron Aug. 30, 1898 675,612 Van Horn et al June 4, 1901 808,826 Falt Jan. 2, 1906 867,885 Kanaly Oct. 8, 1907 1,317,187 Wallace Sept. 30, 1919 1,380,897 Gunnarson June 7, 1921 1,485,722 Schramm Mar. 4, 1924 1,552,605 Holmer Sept. 8, 1925 2,292,413 Taylor Aug. 11, 1942 2,510,345 McCann et al June 6, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21.176 Great Britain of 1894 

